Dengue outbreak kills 17 nationwide

Dr Vichai Stimai, director of the Bureau of Vectorborne Disease, said yesterday the number of denguefever patients from January to the end of June had risen to 21,251 people, 36percent higher than the same period last year.

"The situation this year is more serious than last year because of the earlier arrival of the rainy season which brought forward the hatching period of the dengue mosquito," he said.

Not only Thailand, said Vichai, but also neighbouring countries - Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Indonesia - have faced the same situation this year.

He urged the public to remove the breeding grounds of denguecarrying mosquitoes by covering all water containers in households. Mosquito spray was also recommended.

He said the Public Health Ministry had ordered health officials to work with local authorities to prevent the further spread or any outbreak.

Dr Nattawut Prasertsiripong, chief of the Surat Thani provincial health office, said the disease had claimed two lives in the province. He recommended people who have fever for two to seven days, severe headache, muscle pains, and pain behind the eyes to visit a doctor as these are symptoms of dengue. He warned those with the symptoms not to take Aspirin, but rather the pain killer Paracetamol.

The Nation